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- Panama hats have been made in Ecuador for hundreds of years and were first recorded in European history about 400 years ago.
- Panama hats are traditionally made of Toquilla straw which is the young shoots of a coastal palm tree.
- Monticristi 'Fino' and 'Superfino' panamas take around 4 months to make a single hat and are recognised as some of the finest hand woven hats in the world. It is thought that there are only 10 to 12 people with the necessary skills to make them these days.
- In 1855, Paris discovered this unrivalled straw hat at the World Trade Fair. The French created an immense demand and despite their reputation as demanding customers were impressed with the finesse of the texture and weave.
- The 'Panama' is actually mistakenly named as it originated in Ecuador. It inherited its familiar name much later during the building of the Panama Canal as they were commonly worn by the workers.
Napoleon wore a 'Monticristi' panama during and following his exile on the island of St Helena. He was never parted from it thereafter. |
